


Nothing Gold Can Stay

by seekrest



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Adult Peter Parker, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben is smol and precious, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parker is a Good Dad, Protective Michelle Jones, Protective Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 16:03:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20678105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekrest/pseuds/seekrest
Summary: “Pete, he wants to see you.”Peter moves the oxygen mask from his face, shaking his head.“MJ, no, he can’t, I’m not—““He’s panicking, Peter. He needs to know you’re okay.” Michelle pushes some of his hair back, Peter closing his eyes at her touch, realizing how close he came to never feeling it again.The kiss is short, fierce - a million things passing between them before Peter’s need for oxygen outweighs his need to let Michelle know he was okay.He brings the mask back to his face, nodding his head before putting it back over his mouth.“Bring him in.”





	Nothing Gold Can Stay

Peter sighed, limping as he made his way into the kitchen. It was just before 2am- he should shower, strip off the suit, do something to rid himself of the night’s events. But Peter was tired, thirsty and too exhausted to think straight. 

He shuffles closer to the fridge, listening for Michelle’s soft breathing in the other room. He smiles as he hears her heartbeat’s rhythm, hears Maya’s down the hall, the sound of it calming him as he opens the fridge up. 

It occurs to him a beat too soon that there’s another heartbeat behind him - entirely too close and up way too late. Peter sighs again, shutting the fridge door as he turns - only to see Ben’s dark eyes staring back at him.

“You said you wouldn’t leave again.” Peter winces as he tries to stand up straight, not really hearing Ben’s words as he puts his hands on the counter. Peter looks at Ben, seeing the defiance in his eyes. 

“You shouldn’t be up, kiddo.”

Ben quirks his lips to the side, eyes darting up and forth as he seemingly scanned Peter - an action that reminds him a little too much of Michelle. 

“What happened?” Peter puts a hand out, waves him off.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle. Come on, Ben, I’m serious. It’s too late for you to still be up.” 

“Dad—“

“Ben.” Peter’s voice is firm, watching as his son goes to open his mouth before closing it again. They stare at each other for a few seconds before Peter gives him a look, Ben sighing.

“Why do you keep going out? You promised you’d stay home on Fridays, promised you’d start cutting back on going out on patrol.”

Peter pauses, tilting his head to the side.

“And how would you know that?”

Ben’s eyes widening, Peter seeing how he tensed up. 

It was true, Peter had promised all of that and more - feeling the weight of his age and the growing threats of the world becoming stronger. New York was filled with heroes, or so it seemed now, Peter thinking of how Kamala had saved his ass tonight. 

But that had been whispers to Michelle, behind closed doors - something Ben should never have heard.

“I, I uh—“

“Think hard before you answer, Benjamin.”

Ben stops, eyes downcast before Peter sees the defiance returning - Ben straightening up.

“This isn’t fair. You talk to mom about what you’re doing like it doesn’t affect me too. I should have a say, I’m not a little kid anymore.”

Peter could almost laugh if he wasn’t so exhausted, the night’s events catching up with him. He should be more firm with him, knew that this was something he and Michelle would have to discuss.

But Peter was too tired to argue.

“Ben, there’s some things you don’t understand alright.”

“Dad—“

“We’ll talk about this tomorrow.” 

“Dad, come on—“

“Benjamin.” Ben clamps his mouth shut, Peter sighing.

“I’m not, I’m not saying you’re wrong, kid.” Ben’s eyebrows go up, Peter pressing forward. 

“But listen, me and your mom have to talk things out between the two of us because you,” Peter points to Ben, his body aching at the sudden shift in weight from one hand to the other, “you and Maya are the priority.”

Ben says nothing as Peter continues. 

“Everything I do is for you, Ben. All of it, everything, it’s for you.” 

Ben just looks at Peter before coming around the counter, throwing his arms around Peter’s torso.

Peter’s back is screaming at him, the intensity of Ben’s hug almost bowling Peter over. But Peter ignores it, wrapping his arms around his son.

“I just want you to be safe, dad.” Ben’s voice is muffled from the hug but Peter hears it anyway, tightening his grip.

“I’m always safe.” 

Peter brings his son closer to him, resting his chin on Ben’s head.

_ I’ll always come home. _

* * *

The memory of that night comes back to him, not three weeks later as he winced, Michelle’s eyes dancing around his face.

“Pete, he wants to see you.”

Peter moves the oxygen mask from his face, shaking his head.

“MJ, no, he can’t, I’m not—“

“He’s panicking, Peter. He needs to know you’re okay.” Michelle pushes some of his hair back, Peter closing his eyes at her touch, realizing how close he came to never feeling it again.

He breathes in through the mask again, Michelle looking concerned. 

“I know you never wanted him to see you like this but Pete,” she leans in, Peter locking eyes with her. 

“He saw you get hit. I tried to stop him but Maya was crying, and I had to—“

Peter shakes his head again, bringing his hand to her face. He traces his thumb across her cheek, removing the mask with his other hand to speak.

“It’s not your fault, MJ” Peter wheezes, “I should’ve let Wanda handle it.” 

“You always have been a bit of dumbass.” Peter smiles, bringing her closer.

The kiss is short, fierce - a million things passing between them before Peter’s need for oxygen outweighs his need to let Michelle know he was okay. 

He brings the mask back to his face, nodding his head before putting it back over his mouth. 

“Bring him in.”

* * *

Peter tried to sit up, wishes he had a mirror to see how awful he looked. The nurses had cleaned most of the blood off but Peter knew the bruises looked brutal, the cuts on his face and being covered with bandages would do nothing to assuage Ben’s worry.

Michelle had helped him with his hair before she left, Peter’s heart constricting at how strong she was trying to be. He loved her - loving Michelle was the easiest thing in the world - and it ached to think of what would happen to her if made her a widow, a single-parent to Ben and Maya. 

Peter hears Ben’s whispers before they arrive, Michelle’s soothing voice trying to prepare him.

“He looks a lot worse than what it is.”

“I’m not a kid, mom. You don’t have to try and warn me.” 

Peter could almost hear the exasperation in Michelle’s voice, laughing despite the pain he was in. 

He and Michelle had been little shits growing up, all sarcasm and snide remarks - and it seemed that Ben had inherited every bit of their defense mechanisms. 

“Ben, I’m serious. I need you to understand--”

“It’s fine, Mom.” 

Peter straightens up as they walk in, trying to smile as Ben immediately stiffened. 

“Hey Ben,” Peter removes the mask, concentrating all his efforts on trying to control his breathing. 

Ben’s frozen, Peter recognizing he hadn’t listened to any of Michelle’s warnings. He had made Michelle promise him - years ago - that if anything were to happen like it did today, if he ever got too hurt - that they’d wait to bring Ben and Maya in until he’d healed, knowing that with time, Peter would look better. 

Ben’s insistence had gotten the better of him, but Peter hoped he could try and salvage it all the same. 

“Ben?” Peter extends a hand out, his lungs feeling heavy in his chest. He needed the oxygen, Peter hadn’t gotten more than a few seconds without it but Peter wanted to make Ben feel as much as ease as possible. 

Michelle slightly pushes Ben forward, walking with him as Ben swallows.

“Dad?” 

“Hey buddy, you alright?” Peter watches as Ben nods - a little too forcefully - as Michelle comes up beside him. She nods to Peter, then squeezes Ben’s shoulder.

“I’ll be right outside alright? Maya’s getting antsy, you know how your sister is.” 

Ben says nothing, staring at Peter. Michelle sends Peter a meaningful look, leaning in to kiss him once more before she walks out.

Peter’s struggling to breathe but just waits, knowing Ben needed the time to process. He reaches a hand out, Ben staring at it.

“Ben.” Peter’s voice croaks out, inwardly wincing at the sound. Ben’s eyes get wide.

“Dad, do you need something? Do you need, what can I--” Peter shakes his head, grabbing Ben’s hand - willing him to calm down.

“I’m okay.” Peter whispers, closing his eyes as forces his lungs to cooperate with him. It’s a fight he knows he won’t win, not without the oxygen mask but Peter doesn’t want Ben to see it, doesn’t want Ben to think Peter is anything less than okay. 

He should’ve known that as much as Ben was his son, he was also Michelle’s.

“Dad, the oxygen mask.” 

“I’m fine--”

“Just use it.” Ben’s voice is sharp, Peter’s eyebrow raising. Ben must realize that he snapped, eyeing the mask then Peter’s face.

Peter relents, bringing it back only to feel immediate relief. Ben must sense it too, the grip in Peter’s hand tightening.

“I hate when you do that.” Peter doesn’t answer at first, letting the oxygen flow back to his strained lungs. Once he feels a bit more clarity, Peter brings the mask away and turns to Ben.

“Do what?”

“Act.. act like everything’s fine when it’s not. It’s not, dad.” Ben’s voice cracks, Peter running a thumb across Ben’s hand.

“Ben--”

“Why do you do it? Why can’t you just let someone else be the hero?” Peter goes to say something but Ben pushes forward.

“You’re always jumping in, saving the day and people and I used to love it. I used to be so proud of you, cause it’s amazing. My dad’s fucking Spider-Man, but now I just, I keep seeing you get hit, over and over again in my head and I can’t, I don’t know what I’d do if you didn’t get back up.” Tears stream down Ben’s cheek, Peter putting the oxygen mask back on only to muffle his own sob threatening to break.

“Dad, please stop… stop doing this. I don’t want, I don’t want to _ lose _ you.” Ben’s sob hits at Peter, bringing his son to his chest. 

Peter leaves the oxygen mask on, bringing his other hand over Ben into an awkward hug as he cries. Peter just holds him tight, wishing that he could erase any hurt or pain.

He wishes he could kiss away the pain like he’s done years and years before, wishes he could promise him that he’d always come home, that he’d always be okay. 

Peter can’t bring himself to lie to Ben, can’t promise him something he’d wrestled with himself.

But Peter knows - as any parent does - that Ben doesn’t really need words right now.

He just needed his dad.

And Peter, holding him even closer, promised himself that Ben would never have to be without him. 

**Author's Note:**

> A kind commenter reminded me just how much I loved writing The Road Not Taken and I’ve been debating expanding this universe for some time. 
> 
> Plus, I wondered if I should start posting some of my drabbles over to AO3, considering how many WIPS I have, but then the FFH digital release got me feeling EMOTIONAL so you know what? WHY NOT.


End file.
